LC native rejoining LSU football as backup QB

HOOVER, Ala. — Les Miles has made the call to the dugout. He’s bringing in the righty.

LSU confirmed Tuesday that Tiger baseball player Jared Foster of Lake Charles will rejoin the football team this season as
a walk-on backup quarterback.

Foster, a former Barbe all-state quarterback who began his LSU career as a preferred walk-on in football, gave up the sport
after his freshman season of 2011 to concentrate on baseball.

The football team lured him back this
week after the Tigers were down to two scholarship quarterbacks after
three others transferred
since the end of spring practice.

“He’s pretty athletic,” Miles told The Advocate of Baton Rouge. “We would expect him to give us some abilities.”

LSU’s depth chart in the media quide
that was released Monday lists sophomore Anthony Jennings as the
starter, with true
freshman Brandon Harris as the backup. Harris, who played at
Parkway of Bossier City, enrolled early at LSU in January and
went through spring practice. He made enough of an impression in
the spring game to suggest he might challenge Jennings who,
with Zach Mettenberger injured, was forced to start the Tigers’
21-14 victory over Iowa in the Outback Bowl.

But the trio of Stephen Rivers, Hayden
Rettig and Rob Bolden, none of whom figured to challenge for the
starting job, have
all transferred since the spring. Bolden, who transferred to LSU
from Penn State, actually spent the spring working at wide
receiver.

Foster was reportedly discussing with
baseball coach Paul Mainieri whether or not to play baseball this spring
after he apparently
will miss the fall workouts.

He will have two years of eligibility remaining in football and one in baseball. He could possibly sit out baseball this spring
and still play the following season.

Mainieri said Foster was the best pure athlete on the baseball team.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he makes an impact,” he told The Advocate. “It’s been done before where guys have left football
and come back. Who’s to say Jared Foster can’t do the same?”